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Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray<\/p>\nEXCLUSIVE: Labour’s Scottish Secretary said in 2020 that the Internal Market Act was “damaging” and undermined devolution.<\/p>\n
12:00, 16 Jul 2025Updated 13:43, 16 Jul 2025<\/p>\n
Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray<\/p>\n
Ian Murray<\/a> has been accused of “hypocrisy” after the UK Government said it was keeping a post-Brexit law which he had previously said should be removed.<\/p>\n Labour’s Scottish Secretary<\/a> said in 2020 that the Internal Market Act was “bad and damaging” and undermined devolution. He also voted against it while in opposition.<\/p>\n The law <\/a>was introduced to create a single market across the UK after Brexit. But it has since allowed UK ministers to override the Scottish Parliament.<\/p>\n This happened with the Deposit Return Scheme, where the Tory Government refused to exclude it from the act<\/a>.<\/p>\n SNP MP Stephen Gethins has written to Murray <\/a>asking him to “repeal and replace” the law.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Faslane naval base investment proves ‘unshakeable commitment’ to UK’s nuclear deterrent<\/a>READ MORE: Donald Trump ‘not welcome in Scotland’ as President branded ‘convicted criminal and political extremist’<\/a><\/p>\n The Arbroath and Broughty Ferry MP said: “The Internal Market Act<\/a> has stripped powers from the Scottish Parliament and has undone the work of its principal architect, Donald Dewar.<\/p>\n “I am old enough to remember when Ian Murray<\/a> stood against Brexit and voted down the Act which he described as damaging and that undermined the devolution settlement.<\/p>\n “It is complete hypocrisy that now he has his <\/a>feet under the cabinet table he now backs this legislation and endorses Brexit – picking apart the powers of Scotland’s parliament.<\/p>\n “This is yet another promise broken by the Labour Party and it is another blow to the devolution settlement – any politician from Scotland worth their salt must fight tooth and nail to see the Internal Market Act<\/a> repealed.”<\/p>\n Holyrood twice voted against the Internal Market Act<\/a>. Labour MSPs backed the most recent motion to scrap it in 2023.<\/p>\n The UK Government published its review of the act <\/a>on Tuesday.<\/p>\n UK trade minister Douglas Alexander promised “improvements” to the law <\/a>but made clear ministers have not considered scrapping it.<\/p>\n He said “the review has not considered repeal of the Act <\/a>or any of its provisions” because the UK Government has \u201cbeen explicit about the need for businesses to have certainty\u201d.<\/p>\n